It ain’t a holiday without Turducken!

Hello all you Turkey fans out there ! Over the Christmas holidays, I had a chance to check out Echelon Foods‘ (@EchelonFoods) Turducken. I thought this was totally an unique concept – I mean come on! A turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with chicken?! Since this turducken brought a lot of smiles across the dinner table, I thought it would be a great idea to share it with all you turkey loving peeps out there 🙂

Echelon Food‘s Turdurken is a de-boned duck and chicken breast wrapped up with Italian or Chicken apple sausage stuffing into a whole turkey. The original turducken serves 12-15 adults!

Photo Credit: http://www.echelonfoods.ca/

These turkeys are literally made oven-ready. Not much work was required (which is a plus for me!) Echelon made the commitment to making gourmet food accessible when they started making their turducken roasts oven -ready, allowing cooks to buy a frozen, all-meat turducken that needs only to be defrosted and roasted in the oven.

When I received this at the door, the turducken arrived in a gelpacks/ice container. It was kept extremely cold and fresh. We did a quick thaw method, popped it into the oven, baked without basting, and then served it to our starving guests.

Photo Credit: http://www.echelonfoods.ca/

To defrost, you can simply thaw your Turducken in the refrigerator for 5 days or for rapid thawing place in sink or bucket with cool water for 24 – 36 hours.

1. Low Temperature Cooking – Conventional Oven (Most Popular Method)

Heat oven to 220°F. Place the bird on a rack and put it in an oven pan and set it in the centre of the oven and bake until internal temperature exceeds 165°F. Cooking time: Internal temperature is the best indicator. As long as it takes for the internal temperature to exceed 165°F is how long it takes for your turducken to cook. Please allow approx. 60 – 75 mins per kilogram. e.g. an 11lb (5 kg) Turducken may take up to 7 hrs.Note: there’s no need to baste or cover with foil, although many of our customers do prefer to have their turducken covered in foil for the first 2 – 4 hours of cooking. If bird is not elevated on a rack, accumulated drippings may have to be removed from the pan every few hours so that the lower portion does not deep fry in the hot oil.

2. Slow Cooker – ‘Crock Pot’

Set slow cooker to ‘high’. Place your turducken inside and close the lid. After 1.5 -2hrs change setting to ‘low’ and cook until internal temperature exceeds 165°F. Cooking time: Internal temperature is the best indicator. As long as it takes for the internal temperature to exceed 165°F is how long it takes for your turducken to cook. Please allow approx. 60 – 75 mins per kilogram. e.g. an 11lb (5 kg) Turducken may take up to 7 hrs.

3. Barbeque – Outdoor Grill

Ensure propane tank is full. Light grill. For best results keep one burner switched to OFF. (Ex, one a two burner BBQ keep one side off; on a three burner BBQ keep the middle burner off.) Bring temperature inside grill up to a constant 220°F. Place foil wrapped turducken directly above the burner that has been switched off so it is not over direct flame. Close lid and cook until internal temperature exceeds 165°F. Cooking time: Internal temperature is the best indicator. As long as it takes for the internal temperature to exceed 165°F is how long it takes for your turducken to cook. Please allow approx. 60 – 75 mins per kilogram. e.g. an 11lb (5 kg) Turducken may take up to 7 hrs.Note: Many BBQs are difficult to ensure a constant temperature. Check frequently for high flames and flare ups. Check internal temperature often.

4. High Temperature Cooking – Conventional Oven

Heat oven to 350°F. Place the bird on a rack and put it in an oven pan, or if you don’t have a rack – cut up a couple of carrots, onions and celery, put in an oven pan, place your Turducken on top of the veggies, add some white wine and water in and set it in the centre of the oven and bake until internal temperature exceeds 165°F. Cooking time: Internal temperature is the best indicator. As long as it takes for the internal temperature to exceed 165°F is how long it takes for your turducken to cook. Please allow approx. 30 – 45 mins per kilogram. e.g. an 11lb (5 kg) Turducken would take up to 4 hrs.Note: Using a high temperature we recommend basting the Turducken during its roasting time every ½ hour to keep it nice and moist. Use its own drippings mixed with water and white wine.

Photo Credit: http://www.echelonfoods.ca/

This is a sponsored post but Foodinthecitytoronto.com remains unbiased in our content.